Real Madrid vs Chelsea Champions League quarter-final preview: Where to watch, kick-off time, predicted line-ups

Real Madrid and Chelsea meet in the UEFA Champions League quarter-final second leg on Tuesday 12 April.

Where to watch Real Madrid vs Chelsea on TV

Fans can find their local UEFA Champions League broadcast partner(s) here.

What happened in the first leg?

Two words: Karim Benzema. Madrid's wily No9 scored a second successive hat-trick in the competition, including two magnificent first-half headers, to put the 13-time champions firmly in control. The holders had halved their arrears through Kai Havertz, but Benzema seized on an Edouard Mendy lapse soon after half-time to complete his hat-trick and leave the Blues with a mountain to climb in the Spanish capital.

• Champions League fixtures, results, semi-final dates
• When is the Champions League final?

Starting line-ups

Real Madrid: Courtois; Carvajal, Nacho, Alaba, Mendy; Modrić, Casemiro, Kroos; Valverde, Benzema, Vinícius Júnior

Chelsea: Mendy; James, Thiago Silva, Rüdiger, Alonso; Kanté, Loftus-Cheek, Kovačic; Mount, Havertz, Werner

Form guide

Real Madrid
Since round of 16 (all competitions, most recent first): WWWLW
Where they stand: 1st in Spanish Liga

Chelsea
Since round of 16 (all competitions, most recent first): WLLW
Where they stand: 3rd in Premier League, FA Cup semi-finals

Expert predictions

Simon Hart, Real Madrid reporter: Madrid stand on the brink of a 31st semi-final and the manner of their first-leg triumph at Stamford Bridge – their best display in a sequence of eight wins in nine matches – will ensure an expectant, confident Bernabéu. If the absence of the suspended Éder Militão leaves Madrid without their defensive leader, veteran midfielders Luka Modrić and Toni Kroos should be fresher for their afternoon off at the weekend while up front Karim Benzema’s scoring streak offers grounds for optimism.

Joe Terry, Chelsea reporter: Chelsea have a Benzema-shaped mountain to climb, but after two losses in succession they did at least end last week in style with a 6-0 defeat of Southampton. Of course, it's Real Madrid away at the Bernabéu, with a two-goal deficit to make up, so the smart money goes on the home side. Thomas Tuchel's team are nothing if not resilient, though. If they keep Benzema quiet, they have the quality to unnerve Madrid's ageing back line.

What the coaches say

Karim Benzema and Vinícius Júnior in training on MondayReal Madrid via Getty Images

Carlo Ancelotti, Real Madrid coach: "Big teams never give up, it’s the spirit of football, and Chelsea will try to win. Neither team can say that they will win because in this competition there are many things that count beyond tactics. We have a lot of respect for Chelsea and we're prepared to suffer in order to qualify for the next round."

Thomas Tuchel, Chelsea coach: "It is unlikely [that we will turn the tie around] but it is worth trying and trying means that we will play to our fullest and to our full limit because this is what we do and we never manage our input and investment by the chances of having a result. This is what it is, it is a big night and a big match and we will try to be in better shape and condition than in the first match."

Havertz on Champions League glory: 'It will be with me forever' 

Kai Havertz was the hero in the 2021 UEFA Champions League final in Porto, hitting the only goal after 42 minutes as Chelsea overcame Premier League rivals Manchester City.

The forward tells UEFA.com about achieving his "greatest childhood dream" – read the full interview.

Where is the 2022 Champions League final?

The Stade de France in Saint-Denis will host the final on Saturday 28 May at 21:00 CET.

The winners gain a place in the 2022/23 UEFA Champions League group stage, if they have not qualified via their domestic competition.